About
The ASSET Program at Cornell University is funded by a five year grant from SEPA of the National Institute of Health. The Advancing Secondary Science Education with Tetrahymena (ASSET) program is designed to develop, test, and disseminate a collection of self contained laboratory modules for use in high school and middle school classrooms. Each laboratory module is built around Tetrahymena thermophila, a safe, easy to grow protozoan that is ideal for demonstrating many of the basic principles of biology. The modules are designed to stimulate independent, critical thinking, and to foster a fundamental understanding of key biological concepts using a hands-on, inquiry-based approach. In addition to the lab based modules, a cross-curriculum module addressing the fundamental role of science and technology in today’s society will be developed. This Biology and Society module will place basic scientific research within a broad social context, and will utilize vigorous classroom discourse and debate to encourage students to critically evaluate the complex relationship between science and society. Each ASSET module will initially be developed and tested at Cornell University.